- Jun 25, 2018
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I was reading an article on UpWorthy this morning which got me to thinking specifically about my generation - Gen X - and our general political attitudes of that day (the 90's generally) and how it's affecting our society and culture today.
One of the points the article made about my generation is:
Outside link: Five Gen X values from the ’90s that can save today’s world
I agree when the article says that Gen X's aversion to politics was historic. I personally was one of those people who didn't give a lot of thought to politics, though I voted. I was more just "into" real life - the day to day of it - and I was happy not giving much thought to politics in general. I never understood why it was important as it all seemed to be about grandstanding and fame, and I saw our political situation as being a settled matter via the constitution in general, so I like many others ignored it.
It was a little like being in a dream, it was a great little dream - life was good here in America and we were "over" many of the issues of my parents day and we were ready to move forward in our better day, as a fully united America living out our values.
It was also a dream I woke up from, because while I was "checked out" others had been busy trying to undo everything that had been built by former generations.
While I think my generation had some very positive attitudes (happily not buying into the corporate influences around us) I have come to believe that we are in the situation we are right now (a divided America full of hate for neighbor spiralling at an insane pace towards a fascist state) exactly because my generation had literally checked out of politics.
My generation, in my current opinion, left a power vacuum that got filled with all things negative.
Certainly, I am right-wing politically so my view will be different than others but I do wonder what other people's views are considering whether others think Gen X left a power vacuum of sorts, by checking out of politics.
Discuss?
One of the points the article made about my generation is:
Deep inside the heart of almost every Gen Xer is a deep-seated feeling of nihilism. We didn’t trust the corporations that laid off our parents or gutted their pensions in the ’80s. In fact, everything corporate was predatory. We didn’t have a lot of faith in family values because we were the first generation raised by single parents or in daycare. We didn’t care much about politics either. Back in the ’90s, Gen X’s aversion to politics was historic.
Outside link: Five Gen X values from the ’90s that can save today’s world
I agree when the article says that Gen X's aversion to politics was historic. I personally was one of those people who didn't give a lot of thought to politics, though I voted. I was more just "into" real life - the day to day of it - and I was happy not giving much thought to politics in general. I never understood why it was important as it all seemed to be about grandstanding and fame, and I saw our political situation as being a settled matter via the constitution in general, so I like many others ignored it.
It was a little like being in a dream, it was a great little dream - life was good here in America and we were "over" many of the issues of my parents day and we were ready to move forward in our better day, as a fully united America living out our values.
It was also a dream I woke up from, because while I was "checked out" others had been busy trying to undo everything that had been built by former generations.
While I think my generation had some very positive attitudes (happily not buying into the corporate influences around us) I have come to believe that we are in the situation we are right now (a divided America full of hate for neighbor spiralling at an insane pace towards a fascist state) exactly because my generation had literally checked out of politics.
My generation, in my current opinion, left a power vacuum that got filled with all things negative.
Certainly, I am right-wing politically so my view will be different than others but I do wonder what other people's views are considering whether others think Gen X left a power vacuum of sorts, by checking out of politics.
Discuss?